Bell, Calif., City Leaders Arrested in Salary Scandal

[malaise]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/bell-calif-city-leaders-arrested-salary-scandal/story?id=11691192
<snip>
Los Angeles prosecutors filed charges today against eight leaders the Bell, Calif., city government, whose outsized salaries created a scandal that prompted national outrage.

In a police sweep this morning, former Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo, whose exorbitant salary sparked the furor that led to the investigations of the city, was arrested, along with former Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia.

The others included Mayor Oscar Hernandez, Vice Mayor Teresa Jacobo, council members George Mirabal and Luis Artiga, and former council members George Cole and Victor Bello.

The officials are accused of misappropriating at least $5.5 million. "They used tax dollars as their own piggy bank, which they then looted at will," Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley alleged today at a news conference.

Rizzo is charged with 53 counts, including allegations that, beginning in 2008, he wrote his own employment contracts that were never approved by the City Council. Rizzo is also accused of giving nearly $1.9 million in unauthorized loans to himself, Spaccia, Artiga, Hernandez and dozens of others.
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Throw away the keys

[bliss_eternal]

1. Surprised...

...but glad to hear of this (earlier on msn's front page, and my local news). I posted about the story, as it broke in California:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x37698

Thank you for posting about the arrests. :thumbsup::hi:

[malaise]

2. This is huge - I remember when it broke

Biggest scandal in decades according to ABC. Go Jerry Brown

[bliss_eternal]

6. Love Jerry....!

I've also followed it all along. I recall the day that Jerry issued subpoenas, and there was controversy as they didn't want to allow access to their files (payment logs, or something).

Interesting thing is, since this broke--other cities are now wondering about their officials. There are now possible investigations pending in Compton, Maywood and Commerce. How many other California cities are bleeding the state and tax payers dry, I'm now wondering?

[malaise]

21. I hope they are all exposed

:fistbump:

[Oceansaway]

3. K&R...n/t

[JuniperLea]

4. Greedyguts!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x37952


I hope Hawaiian Gardens is next under the microscope... all those casinos and bingo halls, yet not enough money to stop the gang warfare...

[malaise]

5. What a scumbag

The worst part is they thought they could get away with this.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/09/calculated-greed-at-heart-of-bell-criminal-case-da-cooley-says.html
<snip>
The charges follow months of nationwide outrage and renewed debate over public employee compensation ever since The Times reported in July that the city’s leaders were among the highest paid municipal officials in the country. Among those charged was former City Manager Robert Rizzo, who led the way with a salary and benefits package of more than $1.5 million.

Prosecutors accused him of illegally writing his own compensation contracts and steering nearly $1.9 million in unauthorized loans to himself and others. “This, needless to say, is corruption on steroids,” Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said in announcing the charges.

Cooley described Rizzo as the “unelected and unaccountable czar” of Bell, accusing him of secretly setting his own salary and misappropriating city funds by increasing his compensation without approval by the City Council. “This was calculated greed and theft accomplished by deceit and secrecy,” Cooley said.

City Council members, meanwhile, failed to oversee Rizzo’s actions and instead collected more than $1.2 million in pay since 2006 for presiding over city agency meetings that never occurred, Cooley said. Rizzo’s attorney, James Spertus, did not return calls seeking comment but in the past denied wrongdoing by his client, saying that the investigations were motivated in part by politics. Cooley is running as the Republican nominee for California attorney general.

[bliss_eternal]

8. That's what I don't get.....

...how they would think such a thing. That they could get away with this....forever.

I get that they did(get away w/it), for quite some time. But to think no one would ever catch them, seems the height of arrogance or total stupidity...not sure which.

I'm not convinced there aren't other corrupt cities in our state. Or at least, public offices, employees, etc.

Has anyone followed the series on KCAL 9? Where they've exposed corruption in city/state employees? Their expose of the DWP was incredible. Totally jaw-dropping.

On edit, here's the link to the story. There are others. It's called City Slackers. David Goldstein's been investigating city/state employees who he is tipped off about slacking on jobs, we pay for w/our tax dollars.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/07/12/investigation-reveals-lineman-drinking-on-the-job/

Anyone interested in links to more of these investigations, let me know. I can start a thread in CA or pm details. :hi:

[JuniperLea]

10. They watched BushCo get away with it for years...

Stealing, hiding money... LOSING billions of dollars... any one of us is smarter than Bush! But not these guys... stupid freaks! Empowered, emboldened stupid freaks.

[bliss_eternal]

12. Very true.

Good point. (sigh) So sad. It's the people that suffer. When I learned how poor that city is, while that guy is living like the proverbial fat cat, with a grand home in Huntington Beach, CA....so sickening. :puke:

[JuniperLea]

15. Amazing, isn't it? And he could sleep at night and everything...

Not a care in the world... no tiny bit of guilt or remorse. Evil is as evil does!

[malaise]

14. For now i want to follow this trial

Should be fascinating

[bliss_eternal]

18. Definitely...!

...will be interesting, this entire mess has maintained my interest.

My heart continues to go out to the people of Bell.
So glad they got out and let their voices be heard. The sight of their protests made me so happy! lol.

[JuniperLea]

16. Let me know when they get to Hawaiian Gardens...

I smell a rat. There are all these casinos and bingo halls clearly raking in big bucks, so they must be paying taxes to the city, right? The city looks even poorer than Bell!! And the gang problem is horrible... there are murders and crap all the time!

[bliss_eternal]

20. If I see or hear anything...

...about them, I'll let you know! :hi:

[JuniperLea]

11. I hope his accounts are frozen...

Thank Goddess that Jerry Brown is on the job! This will serve two-fold for him! You can't get better publicity when you're running for office than to be able to stick it to creeps who stick it to the people!

He's going to cream Whitman... listen up, Meg... THIS is why Brown has a team of lawyers... it's his job description FCOL!!

On edit... and OT... but I hear the founder of eBay WILL NOT endorse Meg Whitless!

[bliss_eternal]

13. I'm glad he's not endorsing her...

...he'd be a fool to do so. He lost many, many customers and sellers when she took over ebay. Not sure if they are still there, but I heard at one time, there were many complaints about the policies ebay enacted under her, all over youtube.com. Lots of former ebay sellers hate her.

[bliss_eternal]

7. Reminds me of Jabba the Hut....

The personification of excess and greed.

[onethatcares]

17. you can tell he's never missed seconds at a meal

may his clogged arteries make his blood pound in his skull the rest of his life. May he live a long time hearing that sound.

[JuniperLea]

19. I was thinking his dirty deeds didn't hurt his appetite at all...

He's been eating and sleeping well by all accounts. I bet we don't recognize him when his new skinny mini self gets out of the slammer!

[lpbk2713]

9. Bush & Cheney must have been their role models.

What's amazing to me is that it seems like they thought hey could pull this off forever.